In recent months, Fanny Michaeli, a right-wing activist and mother of IDF soldiers, has been at the center of several high-profile legal proceedings following posts she uploaded to social media after October 7. The legal struggle peaked with a ruling issued by the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court, in which Michaeli was ordered to pay damages to Shikma Bressler. In her lawsuit, Bressler demanded 600,000 NIS, claiming Michaeli published severe allegations against her, including claims of treason, aiding Hamas, and having prior knowledge of the massacre. The court ruled that the publications constituted defamation, as Michaeli did not meet the burden of proving the truth of the claims. The court ordered Michaeli to pay approximately 140,000 NIS, including damages, legal fees, and court costs, and also ordered her to delete the posts and publish a public apology. Throughout the process, Michaeli argued that these were SLAPP suits (strategic lawsuits against public participation) infringing on her freedom of expression, but these arguments were rejected by the court.
Beyond this case, Michaeli faces another significant lawsuit, filed in 2024 by the 'Brothers and Sisters in Arms' organization. In this claim, seeking 2.6 million NIS, the organization alleges that in six different posts, Michaeli used offensive language against the group and its activists. In her statement of defense, Michaeli rejected the allegations and claimed the procedure is another attempt at silencing her. She further noted that some of the posts were not directed at the organization at all, but at another entity, and that she filed a counterclaim regarding statements directed at her. In an interview with 'Channel 14', Michaeli described the impact of the proceedings on her personal and financial life, noting that the total amounts she is required to bear reach hundreds of thousands of shekels.
Standing by Michaeli is Amalia Ezra, who is also involved in legal proceedings against 'Brothers and Sisters in Arms'. Ezra argued that the lawsuits against right-wing activists are part of a broader trend intended to create a 'chilling effect' on public discourse and prevent activists from expressing their views. Ezra initiated the establishment of the 'Freedom of Speech Situation Room' and promoted a crowdfunding campaign for Michaeli titled 'Do Not Abandon Fanny'. Currently, Michaeli awaits the continuation of the legal proceedings in her case, while coping with the financial and emotional complexity accompanying these struggles.